Adjustable slug liquid dispenser



Dec. 22, 1964 H. L. ERICKSON 3,162,336

ADJUSTABLE SLUG LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Nov. 29. 1960 vchamber :throughthe inlet port.

United States Patent O 3,162,336 ADJUSTABLE SLUG LlQUlll) DESPENSERHoward L. Erickson, Bensenviile, 1li., assigner to The Dole ValveCompany, Morton Grove, iii., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 29,1969, Ser. No. 72,448 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-369) This invention relates toliquid dispensers and more particularly relates to a liquid dispenserwhich has highly etcient operating characteristics, and necessitates aconsiderably fewer number of operating parts than prior types of liquiddispensers and which may be expeditiously and economically manufactured.

Known types of liquid dispensers comprise in general a container forcontaining liquid to be dispensed, a measuring chamber which iscommunicable with the container, a port communicating liquid to bedispensed from the container to the measuring chamber, an outlet portopening from the measuring chamber to a point of utilization, checkvalves at the ports to control the iiow of liquid therethrough, amovable wall in the measuring chamber to vary the volumetric capacitythereof, and in some instances means for limiting the movement of themovable wall to provide a means for adjusting the volumetric capacity ofthe measuring chamber.

Movement of the movable wall may be effected by a solenoid or pneumaticmeans; movement of the movable wall in one direction being effective tocreate a partial vacuum within the measuring chamber to withdraw liquidfrom the container through the inlet port and past its respective checkvalve into the measuring chamber and movement thereof in an oppositedirection being effective to discharge liquid through the outlet portand past the outlet check valve. The dispenser which l have devisedprovides all of the advantageous operating characteristics of priortypes of liquid dispensers but is quite simple in design, does notemploy as many individual operating components as prior types ofdispensers, and utilizes a solenoid or other operating means which neednot have a very great force output and which may therefore ne quiteinexpensive.

The device which I have devised comprises generally a valve body havinginlet and outlet ports which are communicable with a measuring chamberand which are aligned with one another. A double poppet valve member iscooperable with the ports to control the dow of liquid therethrough. Theinlet port is communicable with a source of pressurized fluid and theoutlet is connected to a point of utilization. A movable wall denes oneWall oi the measuring chamber and is biased in a direction to decreasethe volumetric capacity thereof by a spring. The movable wall is movedin an opposite direction by the force of pressurized liquid entering themeasuring Movement of the movable wall in this direction (to increasethe volumetric capacity of the measuring chamber) is limited by an fadjustable stop so that the maximum volumetric capacity of the measuringchamber can be determined by the operator.

A small solenoid is mounted on the valve body and has its armatureoperably .connected to the valve member so that energization of thesolenoid will move the `valve member to close the inlet port and openthe outlet port. Movement of the valve member in an opposite directionis 'effected by a compression spring.

It will be understood that the solenoid may be relatively weak andconsequently rather small and inexpensive inasmuch as it is employedsimply to effect axial movement of the valve member. In many prior typesof dispensers a solenoid is employed to effect movement of the movablewall for drawing liquid into the measuring chamber or expeliing liquidtherefrom and in such circumstances the solenoid must be relativelylarge. Still further, my structure does not necessitate the provision ofseparate check valves but utilizes the single valve member in placethereof to control liquid tlow through the ports.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple,yet eiiiciently operating dispenser which may be expeditiously andeconomically manufactured.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide adispenser which employs only a single valve member for controlling theilow of liquid through the unit. Y

Another and more speciiic object of the invention resides in theprovision of a dispenser which can employ a solenoid having a lowerpower output than has heretofore been possible.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser having ameans for adjusting the volumetric capacity of the measuring chamber andemploying only a single valve member for controlling liquid ow throughthe unit.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from timeto time as the following specification proceeds and with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FGURE l is a plan view of a dispenser constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

FGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device illustrated in FlGURE1 and taken along lines ll-lI of PGURE l;

FGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of one means for supplying pressurizedliquid to the dispenser; and

FiGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of another means for supplyingpressurized liquid to the dispenser.

The dispenser comprises in general a valve body 10 which has a solenoid11 mounted thereon and which has a cap 12. aiixed to a cup-shapedportion thereof to dene a measuring chamber 13. A movable wall 14defines one wall of the measuring chamber 13 and is biased in adirection to decrease the volumetric capacity of the chamber 13 by acompression spring 15. An adjustable stop 16 is screw threaded into thecap 12 and serves to limit the degree of movement of the movable wall ina direction to increase the volumetric capacity of the measuring chamber13. A double poppet valve member 17 is cooperable with inlet and outletports 1S and 19, respectiveiy, to control the flow of liquidtherethrough. The valve member 17 is connected to the armature Ztl ofthe solenoid 11 so that energization of the solenoidwill move the valvemember in a direction tot close the port 18 and open the port 19.Movement of the valve member in an opposite direction is effected bymeans of a compression spring 21.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show alternative means by which pressurized liquid maybe directed to the inlet port 1S. In either event, if the valve member17 is in the position illustrated in FGURE 2, the force oi pressurizedliquid entering the measuring chamber will be sufficient to move themovable wall '14 against the biasing force of spring 15 to the positionillustrated in FGURE 2. Subsequent closure of the inlet port 1S landopening or" the outlet port 19 by energization of the solenoid 11 willpermit the spring 15 to urge the movable wall 14 in a direction todecrease the volumetric capacity of the measuring chamber 13 and therebydischarge the liquid contained therein through the Outlet port 19. Ofcourse, by screwing the stop le into the cap 12 the volumetric capacityof the measuring chamber 1? may be decreased to decrease the volume ofliquid which will be discharged in the next cycle.

More specifically, the valve body 113 includes an inlet 23 andoutlet Zdwhich are communicable with the inlet ICC . 3 and outlet ports 18 and19, respectively. A' tends between the ports 18fand 19 and opens Vto anenlarged bore 26 which is, in turn, communicable with the y ange 29, tosecure the cap` to the cup-like portion 28 in Y fluid tight relationshiptherewith. A combination stiftening plate and guide 34 is mounted withinthe cap 12 in juxtaposition to the diaphragm 32 and serves as a seat forone end of the compression spring which, in turn, Vhas its opposite endseated on the'end vwall of the cap 12. Threaded guide members 37 and 38are mounted on the inner and outer surfaces, respectively, of thetendWall ofk the cap 12 in registry with an aperture -39`formed therein andreceive the threaded stop shaft 16.

The stop shaft -16 has a handle 40 formed on the outer end thereof toprovide a means' for rotating the shaft iny the guide members fand tomove the shaft axiallylwith' respect to the cap 12. Thus rotation'of theshaftfl in .l

one direction will move theI shaft inwardlyY to move the movable Wall 14(comprising the diaphragm 32 and the member 34) in a direction todecrease the volumetric' f capacity of the measuring chamber 13.71'

The solenoid 11 is of the usual type ture which is retracted toward thecoilupon energization thereof. However, the solenoid may be quitesmallvhaving an `armayamazes bore ex- 'n l and have a relatively small poweroutput as has been Y heretofore noted. A small cup 52 is formedintegrallyv with the valve body 10 and has a groove 41 formed an-`nularly around the lip thereof 'which serves as aseatrfor an enlargedVannular bead 42 of a diaphragm 43. The solenoid 11 "is seated, againstythe peripheryofthe diaphragm 43 to maintain it in this seated positionand is secured to the valve body by a yoke 44 which abuts a lip of thesolenoid cover and which is screwed into a ange 45 formed integrallywithand extending around the lip of the cup 52. f

One end of the valve member 17V is secured to the yarmature 20 andVextends through a central portion of "the diaphragm 43. A disk 46 formedintegrally with the valve members 49 and 50 are resilient and lprovide aposi--V tive iluid .tight seal when they are seated on thewallsof thevalve'body 10 adjacent the ports 1Sl and 19.` Y y vThe compressionspring 21 rests against a central'porv tion of the diaphragm 43 andjhasits opposite end seatedV on a transverse plate 51y associated with thesolenoid 11 and serves tobias the valve member 17 in the directionillustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 3 illustrates an ble through a conduit C. with'the inlet 23. VInthis arrangement the hydrostatic-head ofA liquidrwithinthe reservoir "Rprovides suiicient liquid pressure to effect compression of the 'springY15V when liquid enters the measuring cham--Y ber 13. 'In FIGURE 4 Ihave illustrated an :alternative arrangement wherein a low pressure pumpPY serves4 to pump liquid from a reservoirR through a kconduit C to Iarrangement whereby a resYer-f voir R istmounted above the dispenser andis communica- 4`V` Y Ithe inlet 23y to provide th requiredpressurization of liquid. i f f From the foregoing it -will vbe observedthat I have provided a very simple dispenser which employs a minimumnumber of parts and yet which operates efficiently and can be cheaplyproduced,

VIty will be understoodV that this embodiment of the inventionhasfbe'en'used for illustrative purposes only and that variousmodifications and variations in the present invention'may be effectedWithout departing from the spirit and scope of the novel conceptsthereof.

I claim as my invention:

A dispenser comprising:

a dispenser body having-a chamber formed therein and having alignedinlet and loutlet ports communicable with said chamber, t

means communicating said inlet port with a source of pressurized liquid,j

avalve rodextendin'g`r through said ports having valve members -rnountedV`thereon in spaced relation from one another vand which lare cooperable'withV said f ports toV control liquid flow therethrough,

solenoid assembly mounted on said dispenser body and having an armatureconnected to said valve rod whereby energizationof saidV solenoidassembly will e'fect movement of said valve rod in ga, direction toclose' said-inletV port and open sidoutlet port,^. Q Y l lspring meansbiasing said Vvalve rod in an opposite Porti" i aiiexible lbag disposedwithin said dispenser body with its periphery sealedto the wall thereofto deline a wallof said chamber,l l I 1 f bacltingj plate disposedwithin said-chamber onr the `opposite side Vofsaid bag from saidportsand spaced from thewall of said chamber, .springfeng'ageable with'saidplate to bias same in ltheldirection `of said ports to discharge liquidcontained within said chamber through-said outlet port when said outletport is open,

whereby said spring has a biasing force of suciently smallmagnitude topermit movement of said rplate and bag in anopposite direction by theforceof pressurized yliquid owinginto chamber from said inletport, andthreaded adjustment member threadedly mounted Y within said dispenserbody on the same sidel of'said bag as said backing plate andh'aving anend engageable with said plate f whereby axialfthreaded adjustment ofsaid adjustment membery will determine the limit ofliquidpressure-caused movement of said plate and bag.

i y'References Citedbylthe Examiner-A n 2224-3865 XR direction to.closesaid outlet port and open said inlet said " y Examiners."

